Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-09-23
rHE STATE GRANGE WINS
It- Cnse Before the Interstate Conn
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mission.
THE CENTRAL VERMONT ORDERED TO ABAN.
DON IT'S ILLEGAL RATES.
The Inter state Commerce Commission on
Wednesday rendered their decision in the
case brought against the Central Vermont
railroad company 10y the Vermont State
Grange and the Boston and Albany railroad
The commission declares illegal the action
Of the Central in charging less rate in
similar services for long than short haul
over their lines between Boston and Detroit.
Milwaukee and Chicago. In deciding the
case the commission holds that the Central
Vermont and the other roads over which
the National Despatch line operates are re.
sponsible for the rates made by that line.
which in law is their agent for the purpose
of making them. 1t further holds that the
Boston and Albany has on its own behalf no
ground of complaint against the defendants.
Its grievance, if any is that the defendant
roads make lower charges on long haul
traffic than it makes. But this they have a
right To do. In the high local rates the
Boston and Albany has no concern. 1t was
said in the argument that it was interested
IN the question, because If the Central Yer
mont could lawfully make the higher charge
| on the shorter haul, the Boston and ALBANY
desired TO know, that it might do the same
| But this was no reason for instituting these
! proceedings, for any case must stand on its
own facts, and it would not follow that
what would be lawful to the Central Yer.
mont would be lawful for the Boston and
Albany, the circumstances and conditions
of whose traffic might he altogether differ
emit The State Grange, however. repre-.
senting persons presumably Interested in
the local rates, had a right to complain of
them, and ON its complaint this case was
disposed of ON the merits
The decision proceeds as follows The
main reliance of the defense was upon the
showing of the competition which the defend
ants must meet i'll their long haul traffic 1t
| was shown that for traffic between Boston
and the West there was actual or possible
competition by steamers TO Portland, and
thence over the Grand Trunk by steamers u
Halifax and thence over the Intercolonial by
the Southeastern railroad to connect with the
! Canada Pacific by the several trunk lines.
and 10y combinations of carriers, requiring
! no special mention. The evidence, however.
is entirely conclusive that the competition
which is troublesome TO defendants is that
of the trunk lines. 1t has differentials, and
| II Is because they are possessed of the short
| err lines that the differentials become neces
| sary. The defendants do not fear the com
! petition of n route by Halifax, or of any of
| the other circuitous routes that can be or
| gained, and such lines do not constitute
| circumstances and conditions having any
perceptible bearing on the present contro-
versy. The circumstances and conditions
that must justify the greater charge for the
shorter haul over the Central Vermont line.
must he such as spring from trunk line
| competition. In the matter Of the Louis
vile and Nashville railroad company, we
| expressed the opinion that there might be
cases IN which the competition between rail
roads, even when they were all subject to
the jurisdiction of the commission. would
present such dissimilarity Of circumstances
and conditions between long and short haul
traffic a. to Justify the greater charge for
the shorter haul on the same line in the
same direction. But our published opinion
| shows we thought these cases must be rare
and exceptional The trunk lines are all
subject To our jurisdiction
W hat then are the peculiar circumstances
and conditions which constitute the differ
ence between the case before us and cases
OF railroad competition in general The
! principal difference must be found in the
fact that the trunk lines have interior or
shorter lines compared with the line Of the
defendants and the latter are compelled.
therefore to make very low rates on their
! through traffic. This is a necessity of the
! situation, hut It is a necessity which exists
Whenever long and short lines compete.
The long line must accept the rates made
10y the short line and, perhaps, make con
ccSsions from them. In this respect there
Is nothing peculiar in the position of these
defendants. There are roads in every part
of the country which can make the same
claim they do and with the same Justice
1t Is claim that could be advanced when
ever route. however circuitous, could be
found for long haul traffic A line from
Boston to Detroit, for example, might be
formed by the way Of the Chesapeake and
Ohio railway, and one from Chicago to St.
Louis 10y way of st. Paul The greater the
departure from direct line the greater
would commonly be the necessity for low